N gauge newbie questions

My advice would be keep grade real simple.

In N scale dealing with grade is so much easier than HO scale.

Grade is the same in all scales. The only difference is the bigger the scale the higher you have to climb to clear you’re overpasses and the more space you need to do it.

So it’s like this and I would highly recommend sticking to this rule. There is no reason why you can’t.

N Scale… 1/4" rise per foot of run equals a 2% grade.

Actually it’s a fraction more than 2% but 48 compared to 50 is good enough for government work.

If you stick to that rule you will never have a problem or be dissatisfied with anything of your layout operations

Pull all you want, we’ll make more.

[;)] Track Fiddler

PS Do research on radius in your planning. Tighter radius compounds grades. Planning is everything, take your time. [:)]

That looks really nice Alrich ! I’ve heard about guys ballasting Unitrack, I just never seen it.

Curiosity makes me ask. Do you have a trick for keeping the seams of the Unitrack from not cracking through the ballast ?

[:^)] Track fiddler